Telephone-indicator.



No. 689,63l. Patented Dec. 24, l90l.

$.J. BALLARD. TELEPHONE INDICATOR.

(Applicatioq filed 41p:- 11, 1900.)

(lo Model.)

' pointer from its normal position, thus to invtion that the line isclear when the battery is off the line.

'UNITED' I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL JUDSON BALLARD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TELEPHONE- INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 68 9,6 31, datedDecember 24, 1901.

Application filed April 11, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J UDSON BAL- LARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angelesand Stateof California, have invented a new and useful Improvement inTelephone-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for automaticallyannouncing whether the party or extension line is busy or clear. Iaccomplish this desirable object by the combination, with an extensionor party line telephone system, of a pointer pivoted to vibrate andarranged to normally stand in a given position, an electromagnetconnected with the line-wire of the system to be energized by thecurrent passing through said wire,- and means connecting themagnet-armature with the pointer to temporarily deflect the dicate byits deflection that the line is busy whenever a current is passingthrough the line from any of the batteries in the system and to indicateby its return to normal posi- In my improvement all of the telephones ofthe party-line are provided with indicators, respectively, and all ofthe indicators operate synchronously whenever any one of the receiversin the entire circuit is taken from its hook. My invention includes suchcombination and also the specific mechanism by which the above-mentionedobject is attained.

The invention is applicable to any metallic circuit and any groundedcircuit with which a number of service-machines, such as telephones,isconnected.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure I is a fragmental view of a telephone extension or party linesystem provided with my invention. In this view three of the telephonesof the system are shown, and in each of two of the telephones theindicator is mounted on the teiephone-case, while in the other telephoneit is shown set off to one side on the wall, thus to indicate that it isimmaterialat what point the indicator is placed. Fig. II is a detailview, on

II HI I!!! b b b an enlarged scale, showing two telephones of Serial No.12,481. No model.)

the system and two indicators, one for each telephone. One of theindicators is shown in frontview and the other indicator is shown inback view with the indicator mechanism exposed, the rear plate of thecase being omitted from the view for this purpose.

The line-wires of the party-line system are indicated by l 2. Thetelephone instruments are indicated by a a a a. The batteries areindicated in a general way by b b The indicators are indicated in ageneral way by c, c, c, and 0".

3 indicates the pointer of the indicator. It is pivoted by means of theshaft 4 to vibrate in front of a dial 5, upon which are marks 6 7 toindicate the line clear and the line busy. The apparatus is to bearranged so that the pointer will normally point,as shown in dottedlines in Fig. II, to the marks which indicate that the line is clear.For this purpose the pointer is provided with a heavier portion'or ball8 at its lower end, which ball constitutes a striker for striking a gong9, which is lo cated in the path of vibration of the striking portion ofthe pointer, so that when the pointer is released from the position inwhich it points to the busy side it will swing far enough to strike thegong 9, thus to sound an alarm whenever the line is released fromservice.

d in a general way indicates an electromagnet, the coils 10,of which areconnected with the line-wire of the system to be energized by thecurrent passing through such wire. Suitable means are providedconnecting the magnet-armature 11 with the pointer 3 for throwing thepointer in one directionviz.',with its point toward the busy side andits striker away from the gong. This mechanism is to be of such acharacter as to allow or cause the pointer to return to its normalposition when the magnet is demagnetized by the battery being taken 0%the line. Preferably such mechanism comprises a pinion 12, fixed to theshaft 4 of the pointer, a lever 13, provided with a cogged segment 14:-and pivoted by a pivot 15, with the cogged are meshing with with thepointer, a lever 16, pivoted by a pivot 17 and in operative engagementwith the ar mature to be thrown thereby when the magnet is energized,and a connecting-rod 18, con necting the end of the lever 17 with theend of the lever 13 which is opposite the cogged segment. The short armof the lever 16 preferably rests upon the armature 11, which is hingedat 12, and the coils of the magnet are arranged to draw the armature upagainst the force of gravity and at the same time to move the coggedsegment up, thus to rotate the pinion 4 to multiply the motion which istransmitted from the armature to the pointer. The cogged segment ispreferably of such a weight that it, together with 'theuncounterbalanced gravity of the other parts, will bring the pointer tonormally point at the marks which show that the line is clear. Theexcess of weight, however, must not be such as to prevent the pointerfrom being thrown to the marks which show that the line is busy wheneverthe electromagnet is energized by a current from any batteryin thesystem.

In each of the drawings the receiver of one of the telephones is shown01? the hook, thus to show the line in its busy condition, and thepointer is shown in position to indicate such condition of the line.\Vhen the telephonereceiver 6 is replaced on the hook, the current willbe taken 01f of the wire and the index will swing back and pass thenormal position, so that the striker 8 will strike upon the gong 9, thusto give an audible warning to any person who may be desiring to use thetelephone in the system. Then the gravity of the parts will hold thepointer in normal position until the receiver of the system is againtaken otf the hook. It is immaterial which receiver is taken from itshook, for the current from any of the batteries will energize all theindicator-magnets of the system.

19 indicates a spring arranged to assist gravity to return the parts tonormal position quickly.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. The combination with an extension or party line telephone system; ofa pointer pivoted to vibrate; means for normally holding the pointer ina given position; an electromagnet connected with the line-wire of thesystem to be energized by the current passing through said wire; andmeans connecting the magnet-armature with the pointer to temporarilydeflect the pointer from its normal position.

2. The combination with an extension or party line telephone system; ofa pointer provided with a striker and pivoted to vibrate and arranged tonormally stand in a given position between the ends of its path ofvibration; an electromagnet connected with the line-wire of the systemto be energized by the current passing through said wire; meansconnecting the magnet-armature with the pointer for throwing the pointerin one direc' tion; and a gong arranged in the path of the striker to bestruck by the striker upon its return after the pointer is released bythe deenergizing of the magnet.

3. The combination with an extension or party line telephone system, ofa plurality of pointers, one for each of the telephones of the circuitrespectively pivoted to vibrate; means for normally holding the pointersrespectively in a given position; electromagnets connected with theline-wire of the system to be energized by the current passing throughsaid wire, and means respectively connecting the magnet-armatures withtheir respective pointers to synchronously temporarily deflect theirrespective pointers from the normal position.

4. The combination with a telephone linewire, of a pointer; mechanismfor rotating the pointer and arranged to hold the pointer in a normalposition by the force of gravity; an electromagnet connected with theline to be energized by a current passing therethrough; the armature ofthe magnet being arranged to operate the mechanism against the force ofgravity to throw the pointer from its normal position.

5. In a party-line system, the combination of a pointer pivoted toswing; a shaft connected with the pointer to deflect the same from itsnormal position; a pinion on such shaft; a pivoted lever provided with acogged segment which meshes with the pinion; an electromagnet connectedwith the line-wire of the system to be energized by the current passingtherethrough; a lever to be operated by the armature of the magnet; aconnectingrod connecting said lever with the cogged segment-lever; andmeans for returning the pointer to its normal position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, California, this27th day of March, 1900.

SAMUEL JUDSON BALLARD.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. TOWNSEND, JULIA TOWNSEND.

ICC

